Classic American West Coast Boxing

[coach greg v]

>while ricky went to the movies and got a good one. I went to my closets and got out my ring magazines from 1970 to 72. in th efeatrured article IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA i was pleased to see ricky on some big fight cards. fighting on undercards with names like ken norton on the bill
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coach Greg . . . I had no idea that anybody besides myself, and a couple close friends & family members, even remembered my boxing career.
I wasn't a headliner, just a guy who was around a lot of great fighters and had an opportunity box with a few, and fight on some big cards.
I want to thank you for being so kind as to share your memories. Only a real boxing afficianado remembers boxers like myself, and I'm flattered.
Today I write about boxers and try to maintain their legacy, thanks for doing the same for me.
The bottom line is you and I feel the same way about the boxers we grew up with. They were a special breed.

-Rick Farris

> I was never a pro like you but when I remember a fighter even strokes don' t lose my memory. It was first jarred when I saw a pic of your stance with a big heavyweight and for months I said I know this guy. I seen him fight maybe i fought him I do not know. I maybe saw you in the amateurs too. I think you turned pro early tho.Then it came together graduation I went to LA saw you fight at the olympic. I once said to you about heat. the heat I got off roberto duran. It might of been that robe for all I remember. I was however impressed. To anybody who knows anything about boxing. To have boxed at the olympic and main street boxing gym and some of the other venues there the forum woodland hills. Takes a special breed and some of thes e pros today are not worthy to carry your jockstrap. even tho i was only a amateur. once after 8 years old when i had my first fight i felt like i belonged. oh i had other friends but we were something special the way we looked at each other. with that secret we know what its all about. I do not think I could ever go back to serious coaching because up here its not really about the boys its about officials refs idiots......hell in alaska they do not have all that and i saw a boxing show that was the fairest i have seen in years. I hope you have these mags with you in them.

[coach greg v]

>while ricky went to the movies and got a good one. I went to my closets and got out my ring magazines from 1970 to 72. in th efeatrured article IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA i was pleased to see ricky on some big fight cards. fighting on undercards with names like ken norton on the bill
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coach Greg . . . I had no idea that anybody besides myself, and a couple close friends & family members, even remembered my boxing career.
I wasn't a headliner, just a guy who was around a lot of great fighters and had an opportunity box with a few, and fight on some big cards.
I want to thank you for being so kind as to share your memories. Only a real boxing afficianado remembers boxers like myself, and I'm flattered.
Today I write about boxers and try to maintain their legacy, thanks for doing the same for me.
The bottom line is you and I feel the same way about the boxers we grew up with. They were a special breed.

-Rick Farris

> I was never a pro like you but when I remember a fighter even strokes don' t lose my memory. It was first jarred when I saw a pic of your stance with a big heavyweight and for months I said I know this guy. I seen him fight maybe i fought him I do not know. I maybe saw you in the amateurs too. I think you turned pro early tho.Then it came together graduation I went to LA saw you fight at the olympic. I once said to you about heat. the heat I got off roberto duran. It might of been that robe for all I remember. I was however impressed. To anybody who knows anything about boxing. To have boxed at the olympic and main street boxing gym and some of the other venues there the forum woodland hills. Takes a special breed and some of thes e pros today are not worthy to carry your jockstrap. even tho i was only a amateur. once after 8 years old when i had my first fight i felt like i belonged. oh i had other friends but we were something special the way we looked at each other. with that secret we know what its all about. I do not think I could ever go back to serious coaching because up here its not really about the boys its about officials refs idiots......hell in alaska they do not have all that and i saw a boxing show that was the fairest i have seen in years. I hope you have these mags with you in them.

> rick i was reading that article on your site where have all the good trainers have gone. i think one of the reasons is everybody is a expert nowadays. nobodys cuts their teeth on being a boxing trainer coach. i tell you when i started out i just hung around newmans getting the trainers coffee tieing up gloves. listening all the time. varney get this varney do that but listening all the time. buying the trainers a round after gym closes. going to shows watching. after a few months of this. one of the old trainers said greg can you take my boy up there tonight i dont think i can climb the ring stairs and thats how it started. soon i was cornering everybody. good fighters. bad fighters. good trainers. trainers who didnt care. seeing mistakes. making them. then one day i was at the gym and the manager started bring me boys to train greg could work with this young man. thats how it started. thats how i got baptised. some go get a abf license and they know it all...one time at the golden gloves we had 42 bouts in one night. i was about to say im bushed but the trainers at newmans said every corner u work. u get more experience.

[Rick Farris]

>while ricky went to the movies and got a good one. I went to my closets and got out my ring magazines from 1970 to 72. in th efeatrured article IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA i was pleased to see ricky on some big fight cards. fighting on undercards with names like ken norton on the bill
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coach Greg . . . I had no idea that anybody besides myself, and a couple close friends & family members, even remembered my boxing career.
I wasn't a headliner, just a guy who was around a lot of great fighters and had an opportunity box with a few, and fight on some big cards.
I want to thank you for being so kind as to share your memories. Only a real boxing afficianado remembers boxers like myself, and I'm flattered.
Today I write about boxers and try to maintain their legacy, thanks for doing the same for me.
The bottom line is you and I feel the same way about the boxers we grew up with. They were a special breed.

-Rick Farris

> I was never a pro like you but when I remember a fighter even strokes don' t lose my memory. It was first jarred when I saw a pic of your stance with a big heavyweight and for months I said I know this guy. I seen him fight maybe i fought him I do not know. I maybe saw you in the amateurs too. I think you turned pro early tho.Then it came together graduation I went to LA saw you fight at the olympic. I once said to you about heat. the heat I got off roberto duran. It might of been that robe for all I remember. I was however impressed. To anybody who knows anything about boxing. To have boxed at the olympic and main street boxing gym and some of the other venues there the forum woodland hills. Takes a special breed and some of thes e pros today are not worthy to carry your jockstrap. even tho i was only a amateur. once after 8 years old when i had my first fight i felt like i belonged. oh i had other friends but we were something special the way we looked at each other. with that secret we know what its all about. I do not think I could ever go back to serious coaching because up here its not really about the boys its about officials refs idiots......hell in alaska they do not have all that and i saw a boxing show that was the fairest i have seen in years. I hope you have these mags with you in them.

> rick i was reading that article on your site where have all the good trainers have gone. i think one of the reasons is everybody is a expert nowadays. nobodys cuts their teeth on being a boxing trainer coach. i tell you when i started out i just hung around newmans getting the trainers coffee tieing up gloves. listening all the time. varney get this varney do that but listening all the time. buying the trainers a round after gym closes. going to shows watching. after a few months of this. one of the old trainers said greg can you take my boy up there tonight i dont think i can climb the ring stairs and thats how it started. soon i was cornering everybody. good fighters. bad fighters. good trainers. trainers who didnt care. seeing mistakes. making them. then one day i was at the gym and the manager started bring me boys to train greg could work with this young man. thats how it started. thats how i got baptised. some go get a abf license and they know it all...one time at the golden gloves we had 42 bouts in one night. i was about to say im bushed but the trainers at newmans said every corner u work. u get more experience.

Great post, Greg! Today I laugh when I see all the trainer "specialists". One guy works on coaching, another is a conditioning "expert", another a nutritionist, another an attorney, another an internet manager, another a photographer, a cut man who will usually also wrap the boxer's hands, a couple buddies on payroll to keep the boxer "loose".
What a waste of space, and a confusing element in the career of a professional boxer.
One voice in the corner, one guy with a bucket, and somebody who can stop bleeding. That's all that is needed!
How did Joe Louis survive with just Jack Blackburn and a second? Think of how great he could have been with an internert manager? LOL!

[coach greg v]

> I was never a pro like you but when I remember a fighter even strokes don' t lose my memory. It was first jarred when I saw a pic of your stance with a big heavyweight and for months I said I know this guy. I seen him fight maybe i fought him I do not know. I maybe saw you in the amateurs too. I think you turned pro early tho.Then it came together graduation I went to LA saw you fight at the olympic. I once said to you about heat. the heat I got off roberto duran. It might of been that robe for all I remember. I was however impressed. To anybody who knows anything about boxing. To have boxed at the olympic and main street boxing gym and some of the other venues there the forum woodland hills. Takes a special breed and some of thes e pros today are not worthy to carry your jockstrap. even tho i was only a amateur. once after 8 years old when i had my first fight i felt like i belonged. oh i had other friends but we were something special the way we looked at each other. with that secret we know what its all about. I do not think I could ever go back to serious coaching because up here its not really about the boys its about officials refs idiots......hell in alaska they do not have all that and i saw a boxing show that was the fairest i have seen in years. I hope you have these mags with you in them.

> rick i was reading that article on your site where have all the good trainers have gone. i think one of the reasons is everybody is a expert nowadays. nobodys cuts their teeth on being a boxing trainer coach. i tell you when i started out i just hung around newmans getting the trainers coffee tieing up gloves. listening all the time. varney get this varney do that but listening all the time. buying the trainers a round after gym closes. going to shows watching. after a few months of this. one of the old trainers said greg can you take my boy up there tonight i dont think i can climb the ring stairs and thats how it started. soon i was cornering everybody. good fighters. bad fighters. good trainers. trainers who didnt care. seeing mistakes. making them. then one day i was at the gym and the manager started bring me boys to train greg could work with this young man. thats how it started. thats how i got baptised. some go get a abf license and they know it all...one time at the golden gloves we had 42 bouts in one night. i was about to say im bushed but the trainers at newmans said every corner u work. u get more experience.

Great post, Greg! Today I laugh when I see all the trainer "specialists". One guy works on coaching, another is a conditioning "expert", another a nutritionist, another an attorney, another an internet manager, another a photographer, a cut man who will usually also wrap the boxer's hands, a couple buddies on payroll to keep the boxer "loose".
What a waste of space, and a confusing element in the career of a professional boxer.
One voice in the corner, one guy with a bucket, and somebody who can stop bleeding. That's all that is needed!
How did Joe Louis survive with just Jack Blackburn and a second? Think of how great he could have been with an internert manager? LOL!

>rick do you have those ring mags with your name in it???

[Rick Farris]

> rick i was reading that article on your site where have all the good trainers have gone. i think one of the reasons is everybody is a expert nowadays. nobodys cuts their teeth on being a boxing trainer coach. i tell you when i started out i just hung around newmans getting the trainers coffee tieing up gloves. listening all the time. varney get this varney do that but listening all the time. buying the trainers a round after gym closes. going to shows watching. after a few months of this. one of the old trainers said greg can you take my boy up there tonight i dont think i can climb the ring stairs and thats how it started. soon i was cornering everybody. good fighters. bad fighters. good trainers. trainers who didnt care. seeing mistakes. making them. then one day i was at the gym and the manager started bring me boys to train greg could work with this young man. thats how it started. thats how i got baptised. some go get a abf license and they know it all...one time at the golden gloves we had 42 bouts in one night. i was about to say im bushed but the trainers at newmans said every corner u work. u get more experience.

Great post, Greg! Today I laugh when I see all the trainer "specialists". One guy works on coaching, another is a conditioning "expert", another a nutritionist, another an attorney, another an internet manager, another a photographer, a cut man who will usually also wrap the boxer's hands, a couple buddies on payroll to keep the boxer "loose".
What a waste of space, and a confusing element in the career of a professional boxer.
One voice in the corner, one guy with a bucket, and somebody who can stop bleeding. That's all that is needed!
How did Joe Louis survive with just Jack Blackburn and a second? Think of how great he could have been with an internert manager? LOL!

>rick do you have those ring mags with your name in it???

I have a few. They are buried in a box somewhere with a lot of misc. photos, news clips, etc.
I carried this crap around for many years, thru marriages, divorces, etc. I finally stored it all in my father's attic for a long time and only recently brought it to my home. I'll dig an item out occasionally and Frank will be kind enough to post it for me.

[Rick Farris]

Jennifer Love Hewitt . . .

I had the luck of lighting this one a couple years back, when I stepped in on "Ghost Whisperer" for a couple episodes.
She was a doll, and a real pro.

http://www.theplace2.ru/photos/photo.php?id=126560

[Rick Farris]

Desperate Housewives final season, #8 . . .

They are going out on top. The best photographed TV series on network television.
They will film thru next spring. This contains cuts from many past scenes, some I was involved with:

http://abc.go.com/watch/clip/desperate- ... D=SEM_N_DH

[Rick Farris]

>while ricky went to the movies and got a good one. I went to my closets and got out my ring magazines from 1970 to 72. in th efeatrured article IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA i was pleased to see ricky on some big fight cards. fighting on undercards with names like ken norton on the bill
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Coach Greg . . . I had no idea that anybody besides myself, and a couple close friends & family members, even remembered my boxing career.
I wasn't a headliner, just a guy who was around a lot of great fighters and had an opportunity box with a few, and fight on some big cards.
I want to thank you for being so kind as to share your memories. Only a real boxing afficianado remembers boxers like myself, and I'm flattered.
Today I write about boxers and try to maintain their legacy, thanks for doing the same for me.
The bottom line is you and I feel the same way about the boxers we grew up with. They were a special breed.

-Rick Farris

> I was never a pro like you but when I remember a fighter even strokes don' t lose my memory. It was first jarred when I saw a pic of your stance with a big heavyweight and for months I said I know this guy. I seen him fight maybe i fought him I do not know. I maybe saw you in the amateurs too. I think you turned pro early tho.Then it came together graduation I went to LA saw you fight at the olympic. I once said to you about heat. the heat I got off roberto duran. It might of been that robe for all I remember. I was however impressed. To anybody who knows anything about boxing. To have boxed at the olympic and main street boxing gym and some of the other venues there the forum woodland hills. Takes a special breed and some of thes e pros today are not worthy to carry your jockstrap. even tho i was only a amateur. once after 8 years old when i had my first fight i felt like i belonged. oh i had other friends but we were something special the way we looked at each other. with that secret we know what its all about. I do not think I could ever go back to serious coaching because up here its not really about the boys its about officials refs idiots......hell in alaska they do not have all that and i saw a boxing show that was the fairest i have seen in years. I hope you have these mags with you in them.

The big heavyweight you saw in the photo was Alan "Kit" Boursee', who was my stablemate and best friend.
Kit was also Jerry Quarry's sparring partner for the first Frazier match, as well as for the Buster Mathis & George Chuvalo fights.
He was a great guy, killed rescuing a couple children 20 years after the photo was taken at the Main Street Gym.
I think it's posted here on a past page?

[kikibalt]

Latest picture of Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar

[Rick Farris]

Latest picture of Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar

[coach greg v]

Latest picture of Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar

> I heard a rumor awhile back that the movie. darn i forget the name the boxing movie was based on the baltazar family with jimmy smitts. And I heard alot of umors in my day

[CNorkusJr]

Latest picture of Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar

Frank,Is there a possibility of Frank Jr and Tony coming to the CBHOF in June ?
My brother in-law and myself were huge fans of theirs and watched them on TV many times.(Along with 1,000's other boxing fans)
It would be an honor to meet them.

[coach greg v]

Latest picture of Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar

> I heard a rumor awhile back that the movie. darn i forget the name the boxing movie was based on the baltazar family with jimmy smitts. And I heard alot of umors in my day

>on another subject if you guys are into old boxing pictures. i was on ancestry.com and there are literally hundreds of pics on there.they are hard to find. most of from people who never went very far but the venues and servicemen pix are great i got great pix of guys fighting on the uss arizona all over the world.....its pay site so be warned......

[kikibalt]

Frank,Is there a possibility of Frank Jr and Tony coming to the CBHOF in June ?
My brother in-law and myself were huge fans of theirs and watched them on TV many times.(Along with 1,000's other boxing fans)
It would be an honor to meet them.

Frankie will Charlie; as he lives here in SoCal, actually he lives across the street from me, Tony? don't know, as he lives in Arizona and he has a hard time getting time off from the job. He was planning on coming over this past June and couldn't get off. I'm sure that if he can worked it out he'll be here....

[kikibalt]

Charlie, Tony had a great action fight with Buddy McGirt in up state New York

Imperial Resort Hotel, Swan Lake, New York, United States

James McGirt W Tony Baltazar UD 10 10

Eddie Hall L Adam Garland PTS 8 8

Donnie Giron D Roosevelt Walker PTS 6 6

James Holmes W Ray Mann PTS 4 4

[scartissue]

Former leading British promoter Mike Barrett has passed away at the age of 84.

Bennie, it's been a rough day. I just heard Scott Ledoux passed away as well. RIP to both.

Scartissue

[coach greg v]

Former leading British promoter Mike Barrett has passed away at the age of 84.

Bennie, it's been a rough day. I just heard Scott Ledoux passed away as well. RIP to both.

Scartissue

> I heard also they are investigated gattis suicide

[kikibalt]

Former leading British promoter Mike Barrett has passed away at the age of 84.

Bennie, it's been a rough day. I just heard Scott Ledoux passed away as well. RIP to both.

Scartissue

Damn!, the Grim Reaper been busy....

[coach greg v]

this usually happens in threes........

Former leading British promoter Mike Barrett has passed away at the age of 84.

Bennie, it's been a rough day. I just heard Scott Ledoux passed away as well. RIP to both.

Scartissue

Damn!, the Grim Reaper been busy....

[coach greg v]

this usually happens in threes........

Bennie, it's been a rough day. I just heard Scott Ledoux passed away as well. RIP to both.

Scartissue

Damn!, the Grim Reaper been busy....

[coach greg v]

Great post, Greg! Today I laugh when I see all the trainer "specialists". One guy works on coaching, another is a conditioning "expert", another a nutritionist, another an attorney, another an internet manager, another a photographer, a cut man who will usually also wrap the boxer's hands, a couple buddies on payroll to keep the boxer "loose".
What a waste of space, and a confusing element in the career of a professional boxer.
One voice in the corner, one guy with a bucket, and somebody who can stop bleeding. That's all that is needed!
How did Joe Louis survive with just Jack Blackburn and a second? Think of how great he could have been with an internert manager? LOL!

>rick do you have those ring mags with your name in it???

I have a few. They are buried in a box somewhere with a lot of misc. photos, news clips, etc.
I carried this crap around for many years, thru marriages, divorces, etc. I finally stored it all in my father's attic for a long time and only recently brought it to my home. I'll dig an item out occasionally and Frank will be kind enough to post it for me.

i was just thinking if u don't i could give them to you because nobody knows jack shit about whats in them....

[Randyman]

Former leading British promoter Mike Barrett has passed away at the age of 84.

Bennie, it's been a rough day. I just heard Scott Ledoux passed away as well. RIP to both.

Scartissue

Damn!, the Grim Reaper been busy....

Man, sorry to her about both of their deaths! My condolences to the families!

[Randyman]

Frank,Is there a possibility of Frank Jr and Tony coming to the CBHOF in June ?
My brother in-law and myself were huge fans of theirs and watched them on TV many times.(Along with 1,000's other boxing fans)
It would be an honor to meet them.

Frankie will Charlie; as he lives here in SoCal, actually he lives across the street from me, Tony? don't know, as he lives in Arizona and he has a hard time getting time off from the job. He was planning on coming over this past June and couldn't get off. I'm sure that if he can worked it out he'll be here....

I'm hoping he can get some time off too. I would like to meet tony as well. I was a fan of both Tony and Frankie, never saw Bobby fight.

[coach greg v]

Frank,Is there a possibility of Frank Jr and Tony coming to the CBHOF in June ?
My brother in-law and myself were huge fans of theirs and watched them on TV many times.(Along with 1,000's other boxing fans)
It would be an honor to meet them.

Frankie will Charlie; as he lives here in SoCal, actually he lives across the street from me, Tony? don't know, as he lives in Arizona and he has a hard time getting time off from the job. He was planning on coming over this past June and couldn't get off. I'm sure that if he can worked it out he'll be here....

I'm hoping he can get some time off too. I would like to meet tony as well. I was a fan of both Tony and Frankie, never saw Bobby fight.

meeting those two would make my nights of watching so cal boxing complete. you too ricky. maybe i fighter u guys heard of called rebel can't remeber at all the other part.....try a big manny

[CNorkusJr]

Frank,Is there a possibility of Frank Jr and Tony coming to the CBHOF in June ?
My brother in-law and myself were huge fans of theirs and watched them on TV many times.(Along with 1,000's other boxing fans)
It would be an honor to meet them.

Frankie will Charlie; as he lives here in SoCal, actually he lives across the street from me, Tony? don't know, as he lives in Arizona and he has a hard time getting time off from the job. He was planning on coming over this past June and couldn't get off. I'm sure that if he can worked it out he'll be here....

That would be great, Frank. I will keep my fingers crossed.Thanks.

I know Tony fought here (New York), upstate NY to be exact. I remember he had McGirt down once or twice too.Tony was a fantastic puncher for his weight. A true ring talent who gave everyone a thrill who watched him.I am surprised they didnt fight in the city, but rather upstate. McGirt & Tony were Main Event guys. Do you know why it wasnt in the Garden.? Sure had the billing for it.

McGirt fought here out of Long Island in the beginning of his career (my father reffed some of his early fights).Tough kid. An old New Jersey guy had him-Al Certo. Al and my dad knew each other well since Al was in New Jersey. He had a tailor shop for decades near Bayonne. I think someone just mentioned he sold it recently.

I noticed that Tony didnt fair too well here on the East Coast, But he held his own against tough guys like McGirt & Howard Davis. Davis was another Long Island kid who faired well. He now lives in Florida and runs a gym there. Howard Davis Sr was in the boxing game many years but he been gone awhile now. We dont see much of Howard Davis around much anymore, but McGirt comes to the Ring 8 luncheons every Dec. Nice guy, who will sit and talk for awhile. His son was involved in Boxing now.

It will be a honor to get out to the West Coast and meet everyone there.